Magic Bow Bonuses

[Solinor]

I did a search and didn't see this discussed.

From the DMG page 168:

Bow + 1 gives + 1 "to hit" and + 1 damage potential to arrows fired from
it. If magic arrows are used, the bonus is the total of the bow's and the
arrows'.

How does this read to you?

If I had a +5 bow and +5 arrows, would I have +10 to hit and +10 to damage?

[PatW]

Yes

[T. Foster]

Does a magic arrow give a bonus both to hit and damage? I was thinking it was only one or the other (but can't remember which). But, assuming it does, your example is correct. Which is presumably part of why the DMG treasure tables don't include magic bows or arrows up to +5

[PatW]

Gotta wonder about the wizard who spends a good chunk of his life perfecting that +5 arrow, that snaps on use... "Shoulda made a bow"

Is it by-the-book to rule magic arrows as broken on a hit? I've never let them be recycled.

[TRP]

I'd always run it as to hit and damage, and cumulative of bow and arrow. Understandably, good luck finding either in my game as better than +2, but the +1's of both are at least as common as +1 swords.

[T. Foster]

In OD&D magic bows only give a bonus to hit, not to damage, which is what I was thinking of. Magic arrows give a bonus to both. Since AD&D specifically states that the +1 bow has a bonus both to hit and damage and doesn't state either way for magic arrows (except for the general note for miscellaneous weapons that unless stated otherwise the bonus applies to both hit and damage) the canonical answer is that a +3 arrow shot from a +1 bow will have a total of +4 both to hit and damage. It seems worth noting that even in UA, where the miscellaneous magic weapon tables are expanded significantly (including various items up to +5) there's still no magic bow above +1 (though there are arrows up to +4). We can assume that was intentional, and that the GM should give careful consideration before allowing a bow with a higher + value into the campaign. Obviously this applies even moreso if you're using UA weapon specialization with its point-blank range damage doubling.

As for magic arrows, the DMG specifically states that all that hit are destroyed, as are 50% of misses (p. 168).

[Solinor]

I was just making up an NPC with a magic bow and arrows and read that entry. I can't recall any player in my game having or using a magic bow and magic arrows at the same time in recent memory. How did I miss this for several decades?!

The potential of high str, high dex, magic bow, and magic arrows combined gets pretty astounding.

Thanks for the responses.

[Philotomy Jurament]

The potential of high str, high dex, magic bow, and magic arrows combined gets pretty astounding.

Throw in missile fire during multiple segments of surprise, and you're *REALLY* talking...

[deathanddrek]

Throw in missile fire during multiple segments of surprise, and you're *REALLY* talking...

I was quite staggered by the multiple attacks during surprise upon recently re-reading that part of the DMG. Bugbears are now a whole lot more menacing.

[Matthew]

Yes, indeed, no doubt why bows and arrows in the DMG stack up to +5 at maximum. We play it that they overlap, and the same for strength and dexterity. Recently I have been considering doing something similar with magical shields/dexterity or magical armour/magical shields.

[TRP]

The potential of high str, high dex, magic bow, and magic arrows combined gets pretty astounding.

Throw in missile fire during multiple segments of surprise, and you're *REALLY* talking...

Don't forget weapons specialization and double specialization. It gets really nasty then.

[Clangador]

The potential of high str, high dex, magic bow, and magic arrows combined gets pretty astounding.

Throw in missile fire during multiple segments of surprise, and you're *REALLY* talking...

Don't forget weapons specialization and double specialization. It gets really nasty then.

My son, Klang Jr., figured this out a year or so ago when he made an elvish archer.

[ScottyG]

Don't forget the fine prinf for missile surprise rate of fire. The "staggering" rate of fire should only apply in limited situations, basically a successful ambush. For most encounters, where the party is exploring a dungeon or travelling throgh the wilderness and they come upon some foe, the more modest rate of fire should be used.

[TRP]

Scotty, I agree with that. Only a successfully staged ambush should give that rate of fire. Regular surprise wouldn't trigger it; you'd have to anticipate and plan for the bad guys.

[T. Foster]

But even at the "modest" ROF an elf might still be able to feather an opponent with 8 arrows (2 shots per surprise segment x 4 segments) before he has a chance to react, which is plenty. And they can do this at 1st level. A bow-armed, leather (or elfin mail) armored elf with a high Dex is not to be trifled with!